Report 494
Report #494 Skillset: Psychometabolism Skill: Introspection Org: Nekotai Status: Completed Nov 2010 Furies' Decision: Psi actions will sustain momentum. Problem: Monks loose momentum for every 7 seconds of kata inaction. This situates 6 second superstratus, and +5 second id balance as practically dropping a level of momentum, with 4 second substratus too close for comfort. The fundamental mechanics of psionic recovery is fatally flawed against psymet monks because it situates channeled actions (ex. shift, cell adjust, amnesia, etc) as working against building momentum, a stark contrast to acrobatics which increases balance recovery through springup, contort, and hyperventilate. Also, locked psymet combat defenses are situational against specific archetypes (i.e. forced symmetry against melee classes, pheromones against bards). Swapping a set of defenses costs +6 seconds to channel unlock and another +6 seconds to relock a new set of defenses rendering certain defenses unusable when switching targets. These setbacks can be most directly remedied by addressing psionic balance times for psymet monks. I've decided to push these solutions as a re- visioning of the introspection skill because A) it does not significantly contribute to the psymet skill progression, and B) it is once of the first abilities acquired after mastering psionics, and taking up the psymet specialization. 0 R: 0 Solution #1: Change introspection to a 5 power defense that will halve psi channel balance times: 2 second Sub, 3 second Super, and +3 second Id recovery. 0 R: 0 Solution #2: Change introspection to a 5 power defense that will increase the duration of momentum by 1 or 2 seconds. 0 R: 0 Solution #3: Change introspection to provide a convention to swap out locked psionic/psymet defenses without the need to first unlock the channel (thus cutting down on psi balance recovery). Something along the lines of how Harmony makes use of "NA" to improve equilibrium recovery. Player Comments: ---on 11/8 @ 11:18 writes: Three solutions with three wildly different outcomes. The first will open access to using psionic/psymet actions like scan, read aura, ego scan, psychic push, amnesia, body scan, alter aura, hyperhidrosis (which I feel should be moved up into TP/TK), shift, and cell adjust with more reasonable recovery times. Option 2 will give some relief against momentum loss and close the combat gap between acro and psymet. Option 3 will enhance a psymet's ability to raise context- specific defenses in group combat situations. Any one of these options should greatly increase the synergy between psionics/pschometabolis and kata momentum. ---on 11/8 @ 18:39 writes: I think solution 2 is the best as acrobats have a few ways to stop themselves from losing momentum and yes, that would help close the gap. ---on 11/18 @ 16:49 writes: I feel there should be some trade off (the likely loss of momentum) to switching around these defenses. Of these, solution 3 I guess. ---on 11/23 @ 04:23 writes: Solution 1 or 3. I don't like solution 2 for making momentum even easier. ---on 11/25 @ 12:50 writes: Just want to point out that solutions 1 and 3 will both allow a psymet monk to switch out defenses at about the same rate (more or less) at about 7 seconds. The real question is whether monks should be able to use psionic actions at a more reasonable rate of recovery. Solution 1 if the psionic skillet should more fully open up to monks. Solution 2 if not.